The 2016 Natural Resource Camp was back this year and was a success with three days of learning, games, and fun! Campers enjoyed the facilities at Lake Creek Youth Camp including hearty food and nightly bonfires with s’mores! The campers were educated in forestry management practices, which focused on occupations in the field of natural resources.
As the camp theme this year was “Forest Ecosystem Health,” the hands-on workshops included topics such as fisheries, wildlife, fire science, GPS, map navigation, wilderness first-aid, stream morphology, rangeland management and much more. Throughout camp, adult volunteers facilitated discussions to engage campers in natural resource and forestry management planning, which fulfilled our goal of helping youth connect with nature through different lenses.
In addition to engaging workshops, campers also experienced an exciting mountain biking ride, birdhouse building, a morning bird walk, and many exhilarating team games.
Volunteers and funding were provided from the following organizations: Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Blue Mountain Forest Partners, Blue Mountain Hospital, Bonneville Power Administration, Community Counseling Solutions, Grant County Bird Club, Grant County Chamber of Commerce, Grant County Safe Communities Coalition, Grant Soil & Water Conservation District, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Old West Federal Credit Union, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, OSU Extension Service, Oregon Trail Electric Co-op, South Fork John Day Watershed Council, U.S. Forest Service and the Black family of the local ranching community.
